Wardrobe lockers are installed in virtually every public and private school facility and in a variety of other locations, such as train stations, bus depots and airports. A preferred locking system, especially in school facilities, is one that incorporates the use of a padlock. Traditionally, the most commonly installed locking system has utilized a three-point gravity latch assembly. In this latching assembly, a long vertical internal latching member in the locker door is operated by lifting an external handle attached to the latching member. Upon release of the handle, the latching member gravitates to a latched position. Typically, the latching member will engage hook-shaped hardware mounted at three places in the door jam. The latching member is normally fabricated of thin molded metal which cannot withstand years of continued use, particularly in today's school systems.
Experience has indicated that this latching assembly is expensive to maintain and frequently requires repairs. Manufacturers of this system are constantly changing their designs in an attempt to improve the performance of the latching mechanism and to decrease the cost of repair and maintenance. Consequently, replacement parts are no longer available for some of the older models, and some schools are faced with replacement of the entire latching assembly. In spite of determined efforts by locksmiths and locker manufacturers to provide a better assembly, the three-point gravity latch remains the currently available standard.
In addition to maintenance and repair difficulties, a locking system based upon the three-point gravity latch does not provide adequate safeguards against vandalism. The adept and determined student can, without much difficulty, gain access to any locker by using a simple jimmying process.